Shakira Biography

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977), known professionally as Shakira is a Colombian singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, and philanthropist who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira revealed many of her talents in school as a live performer, demonstrating her vocal ability with rock and roll, Latin and Middle Eastern influences with her own original twist on belly dancing. Shakira is a native Spanish speaker and also speaks fluent English and Portuguese as well as some Italian, French and Arabic.

Shakira released two promotional albums 1990’s “Magia” and 1993’s “Peligro,” before releasing her debut album “Pies Descalzos” in 1996. It debuted at #1 in eight different countries and went on to sell five million copies worldwide reaching platinum certification in the U.S. The album spawned six singles, "Estoy Aquí,” "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?,” "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos,” "Un Poco de Amor,” "Antología" and "Se Quiere, Se Mata.”

The next year, a remix album, simply titled “The Remixes” was released, featuring remixes of songs from her debut album.

Shakira's second studio album “Dónde Están los Ladrones?” was released in September 1998. The album debuted at #131 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and went on to sell ten million copies worldwide and was certified platinum in the U.S Eight of the album's eleven tracks became singles, including "Ciega, Sordomuda,” "Si Te Vas,” "Tú,” "Inevitable,” "Octavo Día,” "Moscas En La Casa,” "No Creo" and "Ojos Así.” Two of the album's songs garnered Shakira the Latin Grammy Awards, "Ojos Así" for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and "Octavo Día" for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. In addition, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1999 for Best Latin Rock Album.

Shakira's first live album, “MTV Unplugged,” was released in February 2000, and reached #1 on the Billboard U.S. Top Latin Albums chart.

The following year, she released her third studio album, and first to include songs in English, “Laundry Service.” The album became the best-selling album of 2002, peaking at #3 on the Billboard 200 and selling more than 20 million copies worldwide. In the U.S. it was certified 3× platinum. Seven songs from the album became international singles, "Whenever, Wherever,” "Underneath Your Clothes,” "Objection (Tango),” "The One,” "Poem to a Horse" , "Te Dejo Madrid" and "Que Me Quedes Tú.” "Whenever, Wherever" reached the Top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart.

Her second compilation album, “Grandes Éxitos” was released in November 2002, and reached #1 on the U.S. Hot Latin Albums chart. Shakira released her second live album, “Live & off the Record,” in March 2004. It was later certified 2× platinum in the U.S.

Her fourth studio album, and third to be in fully Spanish, “Fijación Oral Vol. 1” was released in June 2005. The album has sold seven million copies worldwide. It debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 2× platinum, becoming one of the best-selling Spanish-language albums in the U.S. Five singles were released from the album, "La Tortura,” "No,” "Día De Enero,” "La Pared" and "Las de la Intuición.” The album won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album in 2006.

Her first fully English studio album, “Oral Fixation Vol. 2,” was released in November 2005. The album peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 and has sold more than eight million copies worldwide. It was certified platinum in the U.S. Three singles were released from the album, "Don't Bother,” "Hips Don't Lie" and "Illegal.” "Hips Don't Lie" featuring Wyclef Jean topped the charts in several countries including reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A boxset of the two volumes of Oral Fixation was released in December 2006, under the name “Oral Fixation Volumes 1&2.”

Shakira released her third English studio album, and sixth overall, “She Wolf,” in October 2009. It peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200. Four singles were released from the album, "She Wolf,” "Did It Again,” "Give It Up to Me,” and "Gypsy.

Shakira's "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” was chosen as the official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The song has received generally positive critical reception, and has become a worldwide smash hit and the biggest selling World Cup song of all time. On YouTube, the English version of the music video is the 3rd most watched video of all time with over 300 million views.

“Sale el Sol” her seventh studio album was released in October 2010. The album debuted at #7 on Billboard 200 becoming her fourth-highest peak on the chart. It also debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and stayed there for over 12 consecutive weeks. The album has been shipped over 4 million copies worldwide. "Loca," "Sale el Sol" and "Rabiosa" featuring El Cata and Pitbull were released as singles.